365 Days Later
by CatWesker
Summary: "Am I attractive?" the question came so suddenly the other man could barely react. "Come again?" Marco blinked at the younger boy who had only just stepped inside his room. (A direct sequel to "359 Days Later", where Ace struggles to express himself and Marco faces a dilemma.) Marco/Ace


**Author's notes:**  
I recommend that you read my previous story " **359 Days Later** " before this, but it can also be read alone if you prefer. Also, I finally switched to writing in "proper past tense" this time. Hope you enjoy~

* * *

"Am I attractive?" the question came so suddenly the other man could barely react.

"Come again?" Marco blinked at the younger boy who had only just stepped inside his room.

"I said, am I attractive?" it took so much more courage to ask the same question a second time, and it didn't come without side effects, like the darker shade of red across his face that he knew was futile to hide but tried regardless.

Marco moved one step back and observed him briefly, his arms crossed. Ace was wearing his light yellow shirt, unbuttoned as always, his hat hanging behind his shoulders. He hadn't cut his hair nor added new tattoos. As far as he could tell he was no different from usual so he was probably not referring to something in particular today but rather himself in general. He sighed softly, "My opinion doesn't matter."

 _I knew it_ , the voice inside Ace rang. He knew Marco's good at this - good at avoiding questions - but he was just hoping for the off chance he might just humor him this time. "Just—just tell me what you think!"

It's not surprising for Ace to ask questions out of context but for this to be the first thing he asked as soon as he visited him here in his room at 23:45 hours, it might just be the first. He avoided sighing a second time, "Yeah."

Ace's eyes grew wide with hope. "Yeah what?" He didn't realize he was holding his breath.

"You're attractive."

Ace's heart skipped a beat. He wanted to ask if Marco meant it, or if he was just entertaining him, or what part of him he found attractive and why, but nothing came out of his half opened mouth. Then for a moment, all he could hear was the pounding of his heart in his ears.

"Pops used to share stories about Gol Roger," Marco would have preferred not to speak of the pirate king's name in Ace's presence considering the sensitivity but the current silence between them needed to be broken. "He mentioned your mother was a fine lady."

Immediately Ace frowned, his heart pounding for a different reason now. "What does that have to do with this?"

Marco noticed the change in mood though he was quick enough to rectify. "I meant to say that maybe looks run in the family."

"…Oh," Ace felt the tension seeping away, now a little embarrassed about over thinking it - it was silly to have assumed that Marco had complimented him only because his mother whom he had never even met shared the compliment. He thought about what the compliment might mean and how he should react to it as the pink gradually returned to his face.

Marco moved over to the desk nearby and grabbed over two stools. He gestured for Ace to sit down as he settled himself on one, resting his forearms on his knees, "Is this another dare?"

"N-no…" For some reason he was then unable to look at Marco straight in the eyes. He knew this was the time to explain what this was about but something seemed to be stalling his words.

"Hey," Marco leaned over and placed a hand lightly on the boy's shoulder. "You alright?'

"Y-yeah, I'm just—" Ace still found it hard to hold eye contact for long, but he admitted that the hand on his shoulder felt nice. _I just want to know if I have any chance with…_

Marco quietly awaited his response.

"It's just… something the nurses said." Ace put on a sheepish look.

"Pops' nurses?" Marco moved his hand away again.

"Yeah, they were having a break on the deck earlier. I happened to walk by and they grabbed me over for a chat. It was then that they mentioned something I wasn't sure was true" Ace glanced at Marco and knew he was still listening and so he continued, both his hands on his knees, "I know they're just flirting but they told me I was attractive and…"

Marco listened on quietly.

"…that they would date me if only it was allowed on this ship." Ace peered at Marco to see if he could sense anything out of his physical response if not verbal, but all he saw was Marco staring back at him with a straight face and he couldn't begin to guess what he might be thinking.

"What..?" Ace knew Marco was probably studying him again under those scrutinizing eyes.

"Do you want to?" Marco asked simply.

"Do what?" Ace had no idea where this was going.

"Date them."

"NO!" Before he knew it Ace was up on his feet with the stool toppled behind.

Marco blinked at his not-so-small reaction.

"Of course not!" He was not lying. "I just—I just wanna know if that rule is true, that's all…" He picked up the stool and sat back down gawkily.

Marco was silent for a moment before he replied, "It's true."

Ace blinked.

"The nurses are the only few women in this crew. It is an unwritten rule but it's true that dating them is disallowed to prevent unnecessary conflicts and complications within the family."

"You mean the rule applies to only the nurses?" Ace found it in himself to be direct about this.

"Isn't that your question?"

"I—" Ace knew he couldn't just ask what he really wanted to know curtly, but he couldn't help feeling helpless about this. He fidgeted with the hem of his pants as he searched his mind for a closer yet safe question. "Does this mean that all the men in our crew are single?"

"Not all. There are some with families back home."

This wasn't going to get him anywhere, was it? What he was worried about, what he really wanted to know, he had to accept that there was no other way than to ask directly as is. "Is anyone… Has there been any case of the guys…" Dammit it was just so hard to say.

"Dating each other?" Marco could tell just how difficult it was for the boy.

Ace blinked and peered up at Marco, unsure if he was relieved Marco was able to finish his sentence for him. He was going for a verbal response, to tell Marco that yes that was what he had meant to ask, but somehow all he could manage was two nods of his head.

Marco shifted himself on his stool as he crossed his arms, "No, not that I know of."

Something sank inside of Ace, his head looking down and away from the commander in front of him. He was not sure what he's thinking at the moment, only what he's feeling. He thought back to what happened a few nights ago on the crow's nest with Marco - he had asked a curious question that he really wanted to know but god had forbade and knocked him right out. It was nice - really nice - to wake up beside him a few hours later; Marco could have just left him there but he didn't. Yet he couldn't help but feel that Marco would have avoided his question one way or another. Was that his way of... rejecting? Before Ace even really confessed anything? Before he even figured and admitted to himself a few days ago just what this mysterious emotion was that he felt for him? Was this over even before it could begin?

He had come in at this hour asking a silly question genuinely just to find out what Marco thought of him. He hadn't intended to ask him about what the nurses said - ideally he would have just asked Thatch - but the conversation had gone off course, catching him off guard. He drowned himself in his thoughts, quiet for a long enough moment that Marco began to worry. "Ace?"

"Is that why you've been avoiding me?" Ace willed himself to look up at him.

Marco blinked, uncertain of what the younger boy might be referring to. "Pardon?"

"Why are you avoiding me?" Ace repeated, his head replaying memories of the past few days.

"I'm not avoiding you," Marco replied, unfolding his arms to avoid any misinterpretation of attitude.

"After we landed on the island you just kinda disappeared. I know you were leading the village rescue but even after that I still couldn't find you. You were practically missing before that too. I asked Thatch and even he said he didn't know where you were..." Ace didn't know where he found the courage to just say all this.

"I was running some errands," Marco explained as he glanced up at the small clock hanging on the wall across him.

"I finally saw you yesterday at the workshop but you were acting strange..." Ace looked down again, worried about the truth. "Was it something I did?"

"Ace, it's not what you think."

"Was it something I said?" Ace wondered back to the night on the crow's nest. Marco was an intuitive man; Ace wouldn't be surprised if Marco figured out his feelings faster than he could figure himself. He was not ready to confess and he had not given any thought for the consequences of a rejection but if Marco was avoiding him he would rather come to light with him than to keep wondering like this.

"Ace, look at me." Marco knelt on one knee in front of him, forcing him to face him. "There's no reason for me to avoid you. Now stay here. There's something I need to show you."

He walked over to his desk, pulled out a drawer and took something out. Then he returned to Ace and handed him the object, "I was going to return this to you tomorrow but now that it's past midnight..."

Ace stared at the object in Marco's hands; it was wrapped in a piece of cloth. What Marco said wasn't ringing any bell so slowly he unfolded it only to find a familiar item - his knife. "My knife?" He picked it up, noting that something's different but he couldn't quite place it. "I thought I lost it. Why is it with you?" He looked up at Marco, confused.

"That was my errand," Marco explained. "I had to do it out of your sight and it took some time."

"Do what?" Ace remained clueless.

"Take a closer look."

Curious, Ace pulled the knife out of its sheath and was surprised to find that the blade had been reshaped, sharpened and polished. The hilt had also been given a new finish with improved grip. He also noticed now that the sheath had been decorated with two jewels on each side, but the biggest difference of all would have to be the beautiful engraving of his name along the edge of the blade.

Ace admired everything new about the blade. The past few days he had thought he lost it. He couldn't remember how and it had bothered him considerably. He had had it since the day he set out to sea and though he always carried it around he didn't actually use it. To him it was more of a lucky charm, a token that served as a reminder of his resolution to be a pirate, to be his own man. However, he had let it slip his mind when his concern over Marco overtook the attention. "You did this...?"

"I tried, but honestly I couldn't have done it all on my own," Marco admitted. Frankly this had been quite the challenge, what with the lack of time (bad timing due to the landing on the spring island and the village rescue) and experience. It didn't help that Ace frequently looked for him and he had to leave the workshop as soon as any of the guys informed that Ace was in the vicinity. He could have let his expert brothers handle the job, but that would have made it their gift, not his.

"Why?" Ace was still puzzled, though inside he heaved the biggest sigh of relief to know that Marco wasn't shunning him, that he hadn't come to dislike him. "It's not my birthday."

"It isn't," Marco moved in closer to the boy and ruffled his hair with a smile. "Happy first year, mate."

Ace's eyes grew wide as his head started doing the math. _It's been… a year…?_ He couldn't even recall when it was he joined and Marco remembered this…? Or was this a tradition in the family that everyone practiced?

"Last I checked you have no regrets with us. Hopefully it'll stay that way for years to come." Marco gave him an apologetic smile, "Sorry about the absence though, I didn't mean to hide from you," his smile softened, "really."

All the questions and concerns Ace had just moments ago seemed to fade away as something else welled inside him. He peered up at Marco innocently, relieved to know that his worries were just a misunderstanding, but that had only increased the urge he had to leap at him and hold him… and to kiss him. He could feel his own racing heartbeat, the pounding loud in his ears, blocking out every other thought except the one telling him to go for it.

"Marco I—" the words caught in his throat again. He almost found the courage to just say it, but somewhere inside he knew this was not the appropriate time. This pleasant surprise was about his anniversary with the Whitebeard crew, not his fluttering teenage crush.

"…I…You surprised me. I can't even remember when that was." He tightened his hold on his modified knife. "I love what you did with it."

"Can't say I'm not glad the tweaks are to your tastes. Would have been trouble if I had messed it up. I figure it means a lot you."

A brief giggle managed to escape his lips as Ace pictured their first division commander, the phoenix, messing anything up at all. "You wouldn't."

Marco smiled in return, thankful for his faith.

Ace stared down at the knife as his lips curled into a soft smile, "Thank you…" But this couldn't soothe the growing longing within. "Although….can I also ask for something else?"

Marco had yet any chance to respond when Ace followed up immediately, his hands held up defensively, "Y-you don't have to if you don't want to."

Marco suppressed any look of puzzlement and asked simply, "What is it?"

Ace blinked, nervous yet happy that Marco was easy on him. He ran his fingers along the lines of the sheath as he tried his best to piece the words together, "Can I…" He hated how pathetic he must sound with all this stuttering he couldn't seem to repress. "Can I get a hug…?"

Marco looked on at Ace quietly, his expression unreadable, and this scared the boy. Ace knew this request came out of nowhere and was barely appropriate even under the guise of congratulation but he couldn't resist the longing inside him, not this time.

He tried to keep his eyes on Marco as he awaited his response, but time felt so slow that he couldn't help but look away again. Every passing second made him all the more realize how embarrassing this was and if Marco remained irresponsive for another second he was prepared to bolt out the door.

Marco had been quiet all this time, but he wasn't without thoughts; in fact there were too many. It hadn't been a challenge dealing with Ace's… affections for the most part but that was only because he had been subtle in both actions and words. He noticed how much the boy had been flustering since his improvisation with presenting the gift earlier than he had intended. He understood that Ace must be struggling with his thoughts and that his choice of response had not come easy, but truth be told he had been hoping that it wouldn't be verbalized. At least… not yet.

The complications that came with such matters were something he was unprepared for, and for as long as he had been with the family he had never once ventured the possibilities, not even in thought. His reasons were not as simple as just to abide by their rule. It was unwritten for a reason – everyone in this family was on board for Whitebeard, their father. They shared his culture, his values, his dream, and this had naturally been their only priority. The nurses were on board for the same reason. Who would have thought their youngest member would grow to…

Marco cleared his thoughts. He looked ahead and saw that Ace was looking back at him, the pink apparent across his freckled cheeks. He had no lack of confidence as a man but he had honestly never imagined anyone to fall for him, let alone a fellow mate, albeit young and naïve. Was that even the right term – 'fall for someone'? Was that what it was? Or could Ace just be confusing it with admiration? Was it a whim? Should he take it seriously or let it pass as one of many phases of a teen?

Ace had barged into his room with a seemingly whimsical question but he sensed the underlying motives. Sometimes he wished he was less intuitive; would that have made things less complicated? Or was it complicated only because he wasn't sure what he wanted if Ace went beyond subtleties?

Thatch had teased him on several occasions when they were alone. He had asked him what he figured of the boy, but Marco knew better – Thatch wasn't curious about Ace, he was curious about him. But what _could_ he think of him? He didn't want to imagine all the lines he would cross given his position and responsibilities. He was to be a guardian and a mentor, not a-

He let out an inaudible sigh. This was probably not the time to contemplate about this. Ace hadn't actually said anything; nothing had changed. A hug was far from the list of preposterous things a person could ask for on a celebratory day. Perhaps regardless of Ace's intentions he shouldn't over think it, not at this point.

By this time Ace was already shying away from him. The brief moment of silence must have worried him. He could see the clench of his teeth and glint in his eyes. He couldn't let him cry over something like this. Nothing had changed. He was still Ace, someone who meant something to him.

He put a hand out towards him, gesturing silently for him to take it. Ace was puzzled at the hand and wasn't sure if it meant Marco's offering a handshake instead, but he took it anyway.

Marco then gave it a firm pull, lifting Ace up from his stool and onto his feet. The younger boy had barely registered what happened when he felt Marco wrap an arm around him, pulling his head close. He could feel the warmth of his hand on the back of his head, and only then did he realize that he was holding him. His eyes grew wide as he held his breath, subconsciously hoping that if he did that Marco wouldn't be able to feel his heartbeat with how close they were.

Ace wished this moment would last but even then he didn't know what he really wanted to do, let alone what he should do next. Marco, and everyone else for that matter, touched his head every now and then but this - this was different. It felt different. He could rest his head against the nook of his shoulder if he'd just tilt his head down. Would that be too far? Would that cross any line?

He had only the briefest of moments to consider this when Marco spoke into his ear, earning him a small startle. "We'll always be here for you. Promise me you'd stay happy."

Ace bit his lip as he finally allowed himself to rest on Marco and moved his free hand up Marco's back to hold him back, gripping the knife within tightly. It felt so pleasant like this; he couldn't recall ever having done this with anyone else. He had shared group hugs with Sabo and Luffy all the time in the past but this... was an embrace.

"Nn," he muttered softly, nodding against his shoulder, and for a moment he could feel Marco smiling. And then he closed his eyes, for all he knew he wanted right now was to sink in this moment.

Marco rubbed a thumb softly across Ace's scalp as he let them stay this way a while longer. He could tell how unwilling Ace was to let go just from how tightly he was holding him. He knew that Ace was the oldest of his brothers back home. He was likely dominant at that time and now that he was suddenly the youngest in this enormous family, wishing to be pampered was something he could hardly blame him for. But there was a limit how long this could go before it became awkward and he intended to let go before that.

He was about to pat him on the head as indication when suddenly the door burst open and Thatch, along with several others, came in with a huge tray of muffins. "Ace! I _knew_ you'd be here!"

Startled, the two men broke away abruptly as they looked towards the door. Marco remained composed, no surprise, but Ace was adorably flustered. No surprise either.

"Whoa—!" Thatch paused at the door, the rest of them held back behind him, and a muffin rolled to the floor. "I didn't mean to interrupt, I swear."

Marco rolled his eyes, knowing full well his mate enjoyed insinuating. "Just come in."

"Really?" Thatch grinned. "Alright!" He closed in on the blushing boy like nothing's happened and shoved the freshly baked muffins at him, "Happy first anniversary, baby brother!"

The rest followed and cheered, and in no particular order the commanders went up to congratulate him one by one. "I didn't even realize it's been a year!" Haruta exclaimed, giving Ace a one-armed hug and the rest joined in, though Jouzu chose to punch him in the arm and that almost sent him flying.

Marco, who had safely backed away, smiled and watched on from a distance. No one told him anything but he knew this spontaneous party wouldn't end anytime soon, not with Thatch leading it. He continued to watch quietly when Izou came up beside him with a smile. Marco turned to look at him, knowing he was to expect some form of enquiry.

"So," Izou's grin turned into a smirk. "How are you?"

Marco sighed, his brows lightly furrowed though visible only to those attentive. He accepted that his brothers were nosy but that didn't make this any easier to work with. "Don't ask."

Izou smiled again, watching the others fool around with Ace as well as the muffins. God forbade that food be properly treated, not when you're a pirate. "I see," he replied nonchalantly.

The two men stood side by side in silence, knowing what each other had meant. They understood that sometimes things weren't so simple even if they were a matter of consequence. Izou understood that if the man wasn't ready, he wasn't ready.


End file.
